John Thompson (6)

Sometime about 30,000 years ago, somebody stuck a sharp rock into a split stick-and presto! The axe was born. Our inquisitive species just loves tinkering, testing, and pushing the limits, and this delightfully different book is a freewheeling reference to hundreds of customs, notions, and inventions that reflect human ingenuity throughout history.

From hand tools to holidays to weapons to washing machines, An Uncommon History of Common Things features hundreds of colorful illustrations, show more timelines, sidebars, and more as it explores just about every subject under the sun. Who knew that indoor plumbing has been around for 4,600 years, but punctuation, capital letters, and the handy spaces between written words only date back to the Dark Ages? Or that ancient soldiers baked a kind of pizza on their shields-when they weren't busy flying kites to frighten their foes?

Every page of this quirky compendium catalogs something fascinating, surprising, or serendipitous. A lively, incomparably browsable read for history buffs, pop culture lovers, and anyone who relishes the odd and extraordinary details hidden in the everyday, it will inform, amuse, astonish-and alter the way you think about the clever creatures we call humans. show less

This made a fine book for the bathroom, where short articles of interest are sometimes useful. It seems U.S.A. centric, and tells you a little about the origins of items you probably never wondered about but always took for granted. Frequently you are left wanting more, but that's not what this book is about, it is about a taste of knowledge.

Well written, though you need a dictionary for many adjectives and the occasional important word. I consider myself an average to above average reader and had a great deal of difficulty understanding some sections. Just glossing over most of the words you don’t know, you can still enjoy it as written. Those words may add shades of meaning, yet you lose other meanings and connections by taking the time to look their meaning up.

If you're taking any sort of US history classes, this book helps as an additional source. It can simplify confusing ideas and time periods, explain more about something than a textbook might, and just generally comes in handy for double checking things. Easy and concise.